I recently bought a Keychron Q1 QMK Custom Mechanical Keyboard with brown switches. They’re not anywhere as clicky as my Keychron K2, so I’d like to get some blue switches.
They take Gateron 3 or 5 pin, SMD LED compatible, MX. I don’t know much about this, just would like to change switches to increase the sound level. I know a lot of you are mechanical keyboard gurus!
Any recommendations on what blue switches I should buy to replace my brown switches, and where I could buy them?
Thanks!
Keychron?
At Keychron the switches cost $25 and the shipping costs $20. A bit high …
Question: Why do switches often come in groups of 35? Do people typically only replace the core letter/number switches?
Ah, additional unstated constraints 
Turns out there are plate mount, and pcb mount, so you’ll want to find out which you need.
Does yours have the knob? What do you use it for?
For more discussion (like, obsessive (no judgment)) there is
And
I think you’ll find that switches are always more expensive than you’d hope. If you’re super-picky, it’s not hard to run into costs close to $1/switch.
That said, if you’re happy with Gateron blues, you can semi-routinely find them on Amazon at a little better price:
https://www.amazon.com/Gateron-KS-9-Mechanical-Type-Switch/dp/B07X3TH4DS/
I think those are what you’d need, but verify the LED compatibility.
As for “why 35”, on a split ergo board 35 switches will typically cover either the left half or the right half, frequently with a few left over. 70 is another common number. You’re in a weird middle point with the Q1, but you might be able to mod the main keys and leave the other ones in place.
Also watch key activation force (KAF). Gateron Blues are going to be slightly “heavier” than the browns. So it’ll feel a little different, and obviously they’ll be much louder.
JohnAtl, it appears I need the pcb mount. Mine doesn’t have the knob.
Thanks for the links.
I have had great experiences using the following to shop for switches:
Unfortunately, they have no blue switches in stock. But thanks for the referral.
Webwalrus, I ordered the ones you suggested from Amazon, thank you. I’ve run into the terminology “plate-mounted” or “PCB-mounted.” I think I know what that is referring to, but not sure if it makes any difference with a hot-swappable keyboard like mine? I’ll give the blue gateron switches from Amazon a try; if they don’t work I can easily return them for a refund.
It seems to be just the two extra plastic stabilizers. I would think that the plate mount is what you’re looking for, as the PCB mount uses those two pins to stabilize the switch - but your hotswap socket should be handling that function.
So if you have hot swap sockets, I have to believe that plate mount is fine. And either way, you could always just rip out a switch and take a look at what you have. 
Note - if you have a whole keyboard worth of browns you don’t want, you might be able to get a few bucks for them on Reddit’s r/mechmarket if you’re so inclined. Or keep them as backups in case you have a switch failure on the blues or something.
Webwalrus, I’ve got some Gateron blue switches coming tomorrow from Amazon. I’ll pull one and see if they fit. If so, I’ll switch them all out. If not, Amazon is an easy return.
Thanks for your help. This area is really confusing for a newbie like me, and it seems like a lot of terms get used interchangeably that really aren’t.
No problem. I’ve found that part of the issue for newbies is that the mech keyboard thing is considered by many to be a fun hobby, where they just have fun building boards and swapping switches and keycaps and such. And like many hobbies, sometimes that means that clear, simple advice is lacking - especially for people who just want a single keyboard that’s nice to type on.
You have me exactly, “just want a single keyboard that’s nice to type on.” I have no interest or intention of going down the mechanical keyboard rabbit-hole or making it a hobby.
Jeagar52, I’m sorry that I am late to this thread… If the Gateron Blue switches don’t work out and you still want clicky switches, I can highly recommend Kailh Box White switches. I have liked them a bit better than the Blue switches I’ve tried. I like the tactile feel of the Box Whites and also the sound they make.
Bx987, thanks for your response and suggestion. I’m about halfway done installing the gateron blue switches and so far I like them. But I’ll definitely keep your suggestion in mind for the future.